Hellobee Boards

Are you getting any benefits while on leave (STD)? I would say "YES", but that would be my only hangup as with my job, I get STD, but if I leave within 6 months of receiving it, I have to pay it all back. I hate my job and want to leave desperately, but that is holding me back for a bit after we have our baby in February.

I would also edit to say that even if you have something similar to deal with, it might totally be worth the money savings and extra funds to change jobs. Do you have a daycare lined up already for post leave and it is somewhat close to your house? You could possibly have the baby go there until the one at the new employer opens up.

I dont think you can put a price tag on comfort and happiness at work. If you have a strong gut feeling that the new position will be as good some point in the near future then I think you can consider it.

If this is your first baby I would definitely not leave. Its such a massive life event going back to work with a little one at home that for me personally I could not have handled the stress of a new job situation in addition to it...

For me, it depends on what is going on with my spouse. We agreed that it was okay for one of us to have a longer commute, the other had to be more local. Also, is the nature of the role one that it is consistently available (would the same or similar role be available at a later date, or is it highly specialized)?

@MrsKRB: Yeah, I would check on the STD policy. I am torn for you about the best decision. It is everything to be in a job that you love and that creates support. There is no doubt about that. It's the commute that kills me as that is a long way to go when dealing with daycare. Does your husband work far from the daycare you have chosen?

I did. I used to live 20 min from work, but I was getting married and we bought a house 1+ hour away. Knowing that we wanted to have kids soon, I didn't want that commute. I found a new job 20 min from my home now for more money, but I went from a huge corporate company to a small private one. I don't hate it, but it's def more just a paycheck to me. But I wouldn't change a thing b/c it's been great for dr appts, if I have to pick DD up from school suddenly, and having time to spend with her in the evenings.

This is tough. What is the flexibility like at your current job and the potential new job?

A 40 minute commute each way is going to be much harder when you're back after maternity leave (babies go to bed so early and you're going to want to spend as much time with LO while they are awake).

Are the jobs comparable? Or would there be a huge learning curve a the new job? How well do you know your potential boss and coworkes?

Long term, a shorter commute, more $ and onsite childcare would be amazing. But its also nice to work with people you like doing a job you know - especially when going through a transition.

That is a tough call. Could you see if your current job would let you work remotely, at least a few days of the week? That way your total commute time per week could stay fairly low. This is what I plan to ask my job when we move (they have allowed this in the past for key employees, including letting people become fully remote if they need to move out of state).

@MrsKRB: @MrsKRB: I won't lie and say it doesn't suck. I really loved my last job, mainly it's people. But it actually worked out for me; a year or so after I left, our company got bought out, re-located, and a lot of people left, so if I had stayed, I would prob leave then too. And with kids it's just so essential that I'm 20 min from home! My old boss tried to accommodate me to stay; but I knew that it's not 100% guarantee b/c at the end of the day, he doesn't make the rules so I'm not naïve to think that it won't change.

Right now I get home at 6, we eat dinner and I still have like an hour to hang out before bed time. Plus just today, someone got struck on the train tracks so the trains were all nuts... I am very happy to not deal with that stress!

I went back to work with LO1 with a job with a 40 min commute and it was SO HARD. I always hated the commute and it was just multiplied. When she was 11 months I had an opportunity come up that was only 15 min commute and more money (and more flexibility, I can WFH regularly). I took it and it honestly is one of the best things I've ever done, especially now that we have added LO2 this year. Time is always in short supply with LOs, and getting more of it is priceless.

@MrsKRB: Since is a similar job (and potentially easier), I would take it. You will appreciate having a short commute, more time with LO, on site daycare (when there is an opening) and more $$.

@MrsKRB: For sure not. I am firmly in the camp of loving your job being priceless because it is SO RARE.

If it were me, I would change jobs. A shorter commute (which saves you money) and more money and a daycare right there would all make life much easier and an easier life would make me happier at home - which matters more to me than work.

Yes. I would as long as all the benefits are similar as well. I think at worse, as long as you don't burn any bridges, if you didn't like the change, you could always try to go back. That's what my friend did... plus she went back to the job she loved.. with an even higher salary since they matched and beat the "new" salary.

If you hated your new job, do you know if you would be able to return to your old position?

@MrsKRB: Or could your current job do anything to make you want to stay? Would they match the new salary? Allow you to work from home a few days a month?